1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to threaded fasteners and more particularly to an apparatus for gauging tension of a bolt.
2. Description of Related Art
Bolted joints are found in a wide range of machines. However, loosened bolts may compromise the safety and structural integrity of a joint. Insufficient pre-loading tension is a common cause of bolted joint failure. Given the fact that most machines use hundreds or more bolts in their construction, it is impractical to regularly, manually test the tension of each bolt.
There is a conventional device for measuring the tension in a bolt and is characterized in that a tamper indicating fastener has a cylindrical body with threads extending from one end along a portion of the body, and a tamper indicator having a transducer for converting physical properties of the body into electronic data; electronics for recording the electronic data; and means for communicating the recorded information to a remote location from the fastener.
While the conventional bolt tension measuring device is successful in its applications, continuous improvements of the art are always sought.